John Lewis in the Lead: A Story of the Civil Rights Movement

The son of an Alabama sharecropper, John Lewis experienced the injustice of segregation early in life. Inspired to action by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Lewis joined with civil rights leaders who believed in fighting segregation peacefully. From Nashville, Tennessee, to Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, Lewis was in the forefront of the major civil rights protests of the 1960s. In the face of physical attacks, he persevered with dignity and a devotion to nonviolence, helping southern black people gain the right to vote. Lewis continued his commitment to human rights from his home base in the South straight to the nation's capital. In 1986 Lewis was elected to represent Georgia in the United States Congress, where he continues to serve today. John Lewis in the Lead celebrates the life of a living legend of American history. Lewis's passionate belief in justice is a beacon for all who wish to make our country a better place.

JIM HASKINS was the celebrated author of more than one hundred books, most on topics of African American history and achievement. His works received numerous honors, including the Coretta Scott King Author Award and the Carter G. Woodson Award. In 1994 Haskins was the recipient of the Washington Post Children’s Book Guild Award for a body of work in nonfiction for young people. He passed away in 2005, shortly after completing the manuscript for this book.KATHLEEN BENSON is Curator of Community Projects at the Museum of the City of New York. With her late husband, Jim Haskins, Benson co-authored some twenty books for children, young adults, and adults. She lives in New York City.